Class L Boys: Bunnell Runs Past Naugatuck For First Title

SEAN BEGINSpecial to The Courant

Bunnell beats Naugatuck for Class L boys basketball championship

UNCASVILLE — With a fluid and fast transition offense and efficient second-chance scoring, Bunnell-Stratford defeated Naugatuck 72-61 Sunday afternoon in the Class L boys basketball final at Mohegan Sun Arena, the first appearance for both teams in the championship game.

"I'm happy that these guys won a championship," said Bunnell coach Pat Yerina, in his 16th season. "The guys who were behind us, I wish they were involved in it, too, because we had some runs with them and they probably helped us get here."

Bunnell scored 14 of its 30 fastbreak points in the fourth quarter as Naugatuck's defense failed to keep up with the Bulldogs' pace.

"They got out, they got a couple easy buckets ... and it gave them confidence and momentum," said Naugatuck coach Michael Wilson. "We had a chance to stake our claim right there on the defensive end."

Both teams had 12 offensive rebounds, but Bunnell made the most of theirs. The Bulldogs had 17 second-chance points to six for Naugatuck, which came out firing in the first quarter but managed just six points in the second.

Bunnell was led by its three seniors, guard Ryan Pittman and forwards Aaron Samuel and Donte' Peeler. Pittman scored just five points but had eight assists. Peeler scored 17, with nine coming in the fourth quarter, and had a game-high eight rebounds.

Samuel scored 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including back-to-back threes in the third quarter that gave Bunnell the lead for good.

"Last game he had five points against Bassick but he played really good defense for us. I told him this time you've got to step up for us on both ends, and he did," Yerina said. "Him and Ryan [Pittman], our two captains, did a great job for us."

Senior forward Jarron Chapman led the way for Naugatuck with 29 points on 13-for-28 shooting and seven rebounds. Senior guard CJ Wall scored all 10 of his points in the second half.

Naugatuck, the No. 7 seed coming into the tournament, had victories at Middletown and against Career in East Haven to reach Sunday's final. But Coach Wilson wasn't surprised the Greyhounds made it there.

"To the outside [it's a surprise reaching the championship game]. To the inside we felt like we belonged here," said Wilson. "And we earned it every round we played. To us there was kind of a chip on our shoulder that inspired us to play with this attitude and this edge."